


anya || through the years

by rechutexxx



Series: anya [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aunt Pepper, Aunt Wanda, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Uncle Tony, cousin morgan, short one shots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 04:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20076289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rechutexxx/pseuds/rechutexxx
Summary: shorts one shots requested by followers on tumblranya interacting with different characters through her life





	1. wanda + anya, two years

**Author's Note:**

> request on tumblr by:
> 
> @the-demons-are-taking-over: “Oh! Oh! Wanda! Around Civil War time when she's feeling off and lil Anya's there to make her smile. Please?”
> 
> @death-by-a-sunset-tango: “I second my sister's request with Wanda; I'd love to see that one.”
> 
> set during civil war when wanda is upset after the mission in lagos. it’s short, but it’s actually sweet! hope you enjoy! (i have another wanda prompt with anya slightly older coming out soon, too)

“Are you grounded?"

Wanda turned over in her bed, looking to see the two-and-a-half year old, Anya, standing in the doorway. “Huh?”

“You’ve been in here all day, are you in trouble?”

Wanda sat up, letting her feet hang off the side of the bed. She sniffled before saying, “Maybe. Where’s your mama and papa?”

Anya walked into the room, heading towards Wanda. “They’re fighting. Some man is coming over soon to yell at everyone, I think? I wasn’t really listening.”

“Oh,” Wanda said. _It must be about Lagos._

The little girl placed her hands on Wanda’s lap, “Were you crying?”

Wanda smiled at Anya, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “A little.”

Anya reached her arms up towards Wanda, who picked her up and placed her on her lap, “Why?”

Wanda swallowed the lump in her throat. _Because I murdered a bunch of people. Because I failed. Because I can’t control my powers. _She looked at little Anya, though, sweet and innocent Anya, and told her, “I did a bad thing.”

Anya grabbed a piece of Wanda’s long brown hair, twirling it in her tiny fingers, “What did you do?”

Wanda looked down, “I hurt some people, by accident.”

“But you didn’t _mean_ to, right?” Anya asked.

She shook her head, “No. No, I was trying to save them.”

“And you didn’t?”

Wanda felt her eyes begin to water, “No, no I didn’t.”

“Do you want a hug?” Anya asked, letting go of Wanda’s hair and reaching her arms out.

“Sure.” Wanda let Anya crawl over her, wrapping her tiny arms around her neck and squeezing her close. Wanda placed her hands on the little girls back, before relaxing into the hug. Anya rested her head on the older girl’s shoulder, and a tear rolled down Wanda’s cheek. 

With her face still resting on Wanda, little Anya spoke up, “You know, chocolate always makes me feel better.”

Wanda chuckled through her tears, wiping the wetness away from her face, “Oh yeah?”

“Mhmm, and snuggles.” Anya lifted her head, shifting so she sat on Wanda’s lap, facing her, with the brunette’s arms wrapped around her. “Wanda, I still love you, even though you hurt some people.”

_Damn._

“You do?”

Anya smiled, showing off some of her baby teeth, “Yeah, you’re family! Well, _not really_, but the Avengers family! And family _always_ loves each other, no matter what.”

Wanda smiled, cupping Anya’s face in her hands, “Well, thank you.” 

Anya giggled, and Wanda placed a kiss on the little girl’s nose. 

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

“That would be nice.”

“We could color!” Anya offered, excitingly. 

Wanda laughed, “Haha, okay.”

Anya placed her hands on Wanda’s face, mimicking Wanda’s movements, her small hands cupping the older girl’s face. She looked at her, with her face serious. _She looked so much like Natasha. _“But for now, we cuddle until you feel better, okay?”

Wanda nodded, letting a small grin form across her face, “Okay.”

Anya crawled off her lap, and towards the empty part of the bed. Wanda followed suit, laying back down like she had been the entire day (_and week if we’re being honest)_. Little Anya scooted towards Wanda, tucking herself under her arm so she laid against her chest. 

Wanda wanted to cry, still thinking about all the people she hurt, but the little girl snuggled in her arms pushed the thoughts away. And, for the first time since Lagos, Wanda closed her eyes and fell asleep, _without any nightmares._


	2. clint + anya, two years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> request on tumblr by @baker151910: “Clint and Anya (2 years old) :)” 
> 
> this one is short, but it is a continuation of the “civil war” chapter in my anya series! hope you enjoy!

“Shhhh, shhh, shhh, it’s okay,” Clint whispered in his daughter’s ear, bouncing her in his arms as she wailed loudly through the apartment.

“I want mama!” She screamed, tears flowing down her face. 

Clint tried everything: singing to her, rocking her, playing with her, but _nothing_ stopped her cries. 

Three hours ago, she was with her mother in Vienna. But then explosion happened in the tower and the parents argued over Anya, ultimately agreeing that he should take her back to the hotel, then take her home.

She did _not_ want to leave her mother.

Natasha was holding onto her, telling her everything would be okay, as Clint got ready to take the little two and a half year old away from the public.

She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay snuggled in her mother’s arms. She was still shaken up from the bomb going off, and the toddler did not want to be separated from her mom who had protected her the whole time.

“I know, I know,” he chanted, still rocking and bouncing her gently in his arms. 

“Mama!!!” 

_It broke him. _

Normally they were together, but the Sokovia accords were tearing apart their team, and, now, their family. Clint and Natasha, for the first time, were on different sides. And their little girl was in the middle of all of this. 

She was used to both parents together. Or if they were separated it was because of a mission and they prepared their goodbyes. It was never like today where she was ripped from the other parent’s arms, after they fought in the streets.

Natasha wanted to cry, to scream, to _beat the shit _out of Clint and take her baby with her. But that wasn’t best for Anya. Clint was on a break from missions, she was not. She was still working with Tony to try to convert Steve into signing the accords; she couldn’t bring Anya along for the ride.

Clint had to take her. He really did. But he couldn’t bear to see her little face scream and cry as he pulled her out of Natasha’s arms.

Her wails were not quieting. 

Her tears kept coming. 

He rocked and rocked her, whispering reassurances in her ear to try and ease her. 

She only wanted her mom.

_It was going to be a long night. _


	3. pepper + anya, three years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requested on tumblr by anonymous: “Pepper + 3 years”
> 
> listen this is more fluff and i honestly don’t know how i’ve stayed away from angsty stuff this long lol

“Nat, I can take her, it’s okay.”

“You really don’t have to, I’m-” 

“You’re not fine. You and Clint both have a terrible flu and you really don’t want to get Anya sick. I can take her out for a girl’s day while you guys get some sleep, and if you still feel like shit tonight, she can have a sleepover with me.”

_Pepper was right._ Natasha had gotten sick from her most recent mission with Steve. While she could handle the flu, her husband was a different story. They both had fevers, were throwing up, and felt weakened. Medical had given them their medicine, told them to get some rest and said it would pass.

The Russian still wasn’t convinced. Yes, Anya should get out of the house, but there were so many people that could babysit. Don’t get her wrong, she loved Pepper, but Pepper was a very public person and having her daughter trot around the city with her wouldn’t be her first choice. “I don’t know…”

“Tasha, take the offer, I feel like death.” Clint interrupted as he laid on the couch, his pale face covered in sweat.

Natasha rolled her eyes, “Fine. Thank you, Pepper. She’s in her room.”

Pepper smiled and walked in the apartment, heading straight to the little girl’s bedroom. She knocked on the door, “Anya?”

“Go away! You’re sick!”

Pepper chuckled, “Anya, it’s Aunt Pepper. Can I come in?”

_Silence._

Then, “Are you like mama and papa?”

“No, I’m not sick. I’m here to rescue you.”

The door flew open, and Pepper saw Anya had already gotten dressed and had her backpack on.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Pepper smiled, “How long have you been ready?”

Anya huffed, “A while. C’mon.”

The small redhead walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She grabbed Pepper’s hand and tugged her towards the front door. “Bye mama, bye papa! Feel better!”

Clint groaned, “Bye little red.”

“Be careful Anya,” Natasha replied.

The two women walked out the front door, and Pepper immediately took hand sanitizer out of her large purse, putting some on her hands. “Here, give me your hands.”

Anya held them out and Pepper rubbed the pungent gel all over her tiny hands. “What is it?”

“Hand sanitizer. It kills germs, like the ones your mom and dad have.”

“Oh! We should give them some too!!”

Pepper chuckled, “Maybe later. But for now, let’s go shopping.”

“Shopping?”

She nodded, “Mhmm. Every little girl deserves a closet full of pretty dresses.”

Anya shrugged, “But I like my t-shirts...”

“Oh. That’s fine too! I didn’t mean you had to wear dresses, if you don’t want to. I just meant we could get you a bunch of new clothes you like! And if that means t-shirts, then we’ll get you the best ones.”

Anya thought for a second, “Hmm. Okay. But maybe we can get a _few_ dresses, too.”

Pepper smiled, “Of course.”

They walked towards the elevator, heading down to the lobby where Happy was waiting.

“Hello ladies.”

“Hi Happy,” Anya said, waving her free hand to the old man.

He knelt down to her level, “I got a surprise for you.”

Anya’s curled up into her body, clearly uncomfortable. Pepper placed a hand gently on her shoulder, trying to ease her, “She doesn’t like surprises.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just going to give you this,” he pulls out a little bag with a big decorated cookie in it. “It’s a sugar cookie. I heard from your mom that it’s your favorite.”

Anya eyed up the bag, still hesitant, “I can have it? Before dinner?”

Happy laughed, “Yeah, kiddo, it’s all yours.”

Anya grabbed the bag and smiled, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, where are we off to today?”

“Downtown. Same place where I got Ann’s baby shower gifts from?”

“Perfect.” He held out his arm, gesturing towards the car, “After you.”

The three got into the car, Anya strapped in a car seat, and Happy headed downtown. Anya was quiet the whole drive, having never really been to the downtown area in New York. She was much more used to the quiet rural area of Missouri, not the buzzing city life where the streets were crowded beyond capacity. Her eyes were locked to the windows, examining all the large buildings that they passed by. She gripped tightly onto her bear, some anxiety creeping up on her. Pepper noticed, and reached her arm out, rubbing her thumb on the child’s skin.

“Are you okay, Anya?”

The girl bit her bottom lip, “I don’t know. It’s just a lot of people...”

“It’ll be okay, sweetie. I’ll be with you the whole time, okay?”

Anya nodded, eyes back on the window for the rest of the drive. Pepper felt bad; Natasha had warned her that she had inherited some of Clint’s anxiety. But Pepper hadn’t considered that the city would scare her, as Pepper had become so used to it. But for a three year old who spent the majority of her time on a farm, it must be overwhelming. Anya had stopped eating her cookie, her eyes big, and her hand holding onto her bear tightly.

Pepper pulled out her phone, texting Natasha:

_ **Hey Nat! Hope you’re doing okay! Just had a question about Anya.** _

_whats wrong? is she okay?_

_ **Yes! She’s fine. She’s just having some...anxiety? I didn’t know if you had any advice to help calm her down?** _

_does she have her bear?  
_

_ **Yes. But it’s not really helping.** _

_okay. can i talk to her?_

Pepper immediately clicked over, ringing up Natasha. She answered instantly.

_“Hey.”_

“Hey, Natasha. I’m sorry about this.”

_“Don’t be. It happens, it’s not anyone’s fault. Can you put me on with her?”_

“Of course. Anya, it’s your mommy. Wanna talk to her?”

Anya nodded and took the large phone from the woman. “Mama?”

_“Hey маленький (little one), Pepper said you were nervous?”_

“There’s a lot of people here...”

_“I know sweetie, but they won’t bother you. Stay with Auntie and Happy, and nothing will happen.”_

“Okay...”

_“вдохни, дитя мое. сосчитайте до десяти и дышите медленно. помните стихотворение? (Take a breath, my child. Count to ten, and breathe slowly. Remember the poem?)”_

“да, мама (Yes, mama).”

_“хорошо, давай сделаем это вместе. готовы? (Okay, let’s do it together. Ready?”_

The two were in sync, Anya slightly behind her mother as her Russian was not as refined.

_“Самолёт построим сами (We build an airplane), Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests), Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests). А потом вернёмся к маме (And then we'll come back to mama).”_

_“Good job. Do you feel better?”_

“A little.”

_“Try to have fun. If you are too anxious, tell Pepper and she will bring you back home. Okay?”_

“Okay.”

_“We love you.”_

“I love you too.”

_“See you later. I’ll have papa make you his pasta tonight, just for you.”_

“Okay. Bye, mama.”

She clicked the phone off and handed it back to Pepper.

“You feeling better?”

“Yeah, are we almost there?”

“Actually, yes. We are here, right now,” Pepper answered as the car pulled up to a small boutique. “You ready?”

“Yes.”

They got out of the car, Anya gripping onto her bear with one hand and then Pepper’s hand with the other. They entered the shop; there were only a few other women there besides the workers.

“Ms. Potts! A pleasure as always.”

“Jared, it’s nice to see you.”

“And who is this little one?” He gestured to the little redhead who was hiding behind Pepper’s leg.

“This is my niece, Anya. We are looking to get her some new clothes. Can you help?”

“Of course.”

They had spent hours in the boutique, Anya trying on countless items of clothes. After a little bit of time, Anya loosened up, and began picking out things she liked before doing a mini “fashion show” for Pepper. Pepper snapped photos and videos, sending them in a group text to Natasha and Clint.

Pepper bought every single thing the little girl decided she liked. She deserved to be spoiled, even though Anya didn’t really care for things. Clint and Natasha raised such a sweet, quiet child who found happiness in everything. She didn’t need expensive dresses or designer shoes; she was content with her flannel shirts and boots, running around in the dirt with her father. But, Pepper thought everyone deserved a little extra sometimes.

By the time they left, Anya was exhausted. The sky was getting dark and the little girl struggled to keep her eyes open. Pepper handed Happy the bags full of clothing, and she carried the little girl back to the car, strapping her in. She fell asleep almost instantly, and Pepper tucked her bear into her hands, smiling.

Her phone buzzed; it was Natasha.

_hey pepper, how is anya? she any better?_

** _She’s knocked out from all the shopping but I think she had a good time! On our way home! _ **

_good! see u soon!_

Pepper looked back at the little girl knocked out besides her; she was so precious. Pepper smiled, maybe she could get used to this...


	4. tony + anya, three years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requested on tumblr by @jackxangelica: “Tony & 3 years old”
> 
> okay, i fucking love tony with anya, im telling you now!!!!

It was 2:38 in the morning, or _maybe late evening_? 

As everyone in Avengers tower slept, Tony Stark was wide awake. _Like always._

He sat in his lab, fiddling with he screens in front of him, reading through the mass amounts of code. “Friday, I can’t for the life of me see the little bugger that’s messing this up. Try phase four, if you could.”

“Of course, sir.” The screens all shifted, running new operations, as Tony sat back, a toothpick hanging out of his mouth. “Ah, here we go, that’s much better-”

There was a loud crash near the door, and then a little voice shouted, “I’m sorry!”

Tony stood up from his chair, heading towards the sound, which came from a metal tray falling. He saw the reason why it fell, too. All three feet of it. 

Little Anya stood in her tiny floral pajamas, her red curls messy, and her cheeks flushed. She was holding onto a stuffed bear, eyes wide and her bottom lips stuck out slightly.

“Um, hello tiny assassin, what are you doing here?” He knelt down in front of her, looking over his glasses at the girl. 

She looked away from him, eyes on her stuffed bear, “Mama’s away with Uncle Steve, and papa’s asleep.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you are here, though…”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Tony stood up, heading back to his chair to see the progress of his latest test run, “Ah hah, and you came here, because?”

Anya followed him, walking carefully through the space, not wanting to knock anything else over. “I…I ripped my bear. It’s my special one from mama, and I don’t want to tell papa that I broke him.”

Tony turned to face the three year old, her eyes slightly watery, “Mhmm, and did you bring this _said_ bear?”

Anya held out her hands, the bear in one hand, his arm in the other, “Can you fix him, Uncle Tony?”

“Lemme see,” he carefully grabbed the pieces from her, seeing a clean rip where the arm used to be. “Ah, he _is_ broken. He’s gonna need some surgery, have you checked with Dr. Banner?” Anya tilted her head, a look of confusion washed over her face. “Uncle Bruce,” he clarified. 

“Oh, yeah, I tried. But he’s sleeping. Mama told me to never, _ever_ wake him.”

Tony pointed at her, “Good call kid, don’t want him to Hulk-out on you.”

Anya walked closer to him, trying to peak at his work, “What’s Hulk-out mean?”

He chuckled, “Don’t worry about it.” He examined the stuffed animals’s ‘injury’, looking around his workspace, “Let’s see…What do I have that could fix a sick bear...” He glanced around before finding a cheap sewing kit hidden in the corner. “Ah hah!” He grabbed the kit, starting to work on the stuffed animal. 

Anya crawled up the chair next to him, sitting with her legs under her, watching her Uncle work. Tony continued sewing, glancing at her intense face, “Normally I charge for this, but seeing as how you are a three year old, I’ll make an exception.” The little girl stayed quiet, as she chewed on her bottom lips, eyes still watery. Tony kept working, “You okay, little bird?”

Anya shrugged, “I just need my bear to be better. Mama isn’t here and it’s hard to sleep without her. My bear helps, but not when he’s broken.”

Tony nodded, as he finished patching up the stuffed animal, “You miss your mom?”

Anya picked at the bottom of her pajama shirt, nodding, “Yeah. But mostly at night. She would tuck me in and tell me this poem.”

He slowly weaved the needle through the furry fabric, “Hmm...well, what if when she comes home, we record her saying the poem and we put it in your bear?”

“You can do that?”

Tony chuckled, “Yeah, if Build-A-Bear can do it, I think could easily do it.”

Anya craned her neck to watch as the arm was slowly being reattached, “Can we not put it _in _my bear though? That’s a little weird.”

“Hmm, what were you thinkin’ then?”

She shrugged, “I dont know.”

Tony sat back for a second, “Huh… um… How about a bracelet?”

“For me, or my bear?”

Tony shook his head, “I’m _not_ making a bracelet for a stuffed bear; it’ll be for you.”

“And it’ll have mama’s voice?”

“Yes, spy kid.”

Anya thought for a second before saying, “Okay, that would be good. I’d like that.”

“Mhmm, I’m sure you would,” Tony said, finishing up his work. He tied the knot, and then cut the excess thread. He held the bear out to Anya, “Voila, your bear is all better.”

Anya’s face lit up, as she had the bear back in her hands, “He’s perfect! Thank you Uncle Tony!” She reached her arms out and he leaned down, wrapping his arms around the small child. 

“Anytime teeny terror. Now, let’s get you to bed before your dad has a panic attack.” He held out his hands, picking her up and placing her on the ground. 

“Okay,” she replied before letting out a small yawn. 

He held her hand as they walked towards the elevator, heading down to the Romanoff-Barton floor, where the family lived. The door was still open from when she left earlier, so they slid inside and headed towards her room. She pushed open the door, revealing her gray and white room with her small bed by the wall. He picked her up, placing her in the bed, pulling the blankets over her tiny body. He tucked the bear into her arm, and smiled at her, “You good, kid?”

Anya nodded, her eyes closing shut from exhaustion. “Goodnight, Uncle Tony.”

“Night, night, ninja.”

Tony stepped out of the bedroom, exiting the apartment. He was going to head back to his workspace, but decided maybe it was _his_ time for bed, too. 

He pulled out his phone, sending a text to Natasha, as he headed towards his bedroom: “**_I need your voice box when you get home. No ‘Little Mermaid’ shit, but your daughter has requested my assistance_**.”


	5. morgan + anya, five years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requested on tumblr by @vicapuleti: “Morgan and I guess 5year old Anya ? You knew this one was coming 😍”
> 
> apparently i can’t write a fluffy story about two five year olds lol, so here’s some angst with hints of fluff about our two favorite ballerinas. feat. hints of bucky and sam!

“How do you spell it?”

“N-A-T-A…_S_?”

“Mhmm.”

“S-H-A. _Natasha?”_

“Good,” Clint replied, both hands on the steering wheel of his truck, eyes on the road ahead.

“Next one, papa!”

“Let’s go back to Russian, okay? You want to be ready for later.”

“Okay,” Anya fiddled with her small bear, and glanced at her father. “Should I start?”

“Yes, pigeon, lemme hear it.”

“Okay, um…Самолёт построим сами (We build an airplane)…Uh, Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests), Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests)…Um…”

“А потом (And then)…”

“Oh yeah! А потом вернёмся к маме (And then we'll come back to mama)!”

Clint smiled, “Good job, pidgey.”

Anya giggled, “Are we almost there, papa?”

“Actually, we _are,_” He answered, pulling the truck into the long driveway of the cabin. “Are you excited?”

“Yeah, I miss Morgan.”

“I’m sure she missed you too, baby.” Clint got up to the _oh-so_ familiar cabin, parking close to the entrance. He hopped out of the car, slamming the door shut, before heading to the rear passenger door to get Anya. When he opened the door, she had already unbuckled her seatbelt and was smiling at him widely.

“I did it all by myself, papa.”

Clint shook his head, “Oh my gosh, you’re practically an adult…” She giggled. “C’mon, sweetie,” He held his arms out and she reached for him, letting him pick her up and place her on the grass. He grabbed her tiny backpack from the back seat, and slammed the door behind him. “Ready?” he held his hand out to her.

She grabbed it tightly, “да (Yes)!”

Hand in hand, the daddy-daughter duo made their way up the porch steps to the front door of the cabin.

“Can I _please_ ring the bell?”

Clint smiled at his little girl; her hair went from strawberry-blonde as a baby to a deep red like her mother’s. It was loosely braided as _requested_ by her this morning. Her eyes were a soft green, and every time Clint sweared they were _exactly _like Natasha’s. Her outfit today was all picked out by herself and she had on a tiny gray jumpsuit with her favorite _light up_ sneakers.

_How could he ever say no to her cute little face? _

“Go ahead, baby.”

She let go of his hand and went on her tiptoes, pressing the button to hear the ringing in the home. Anya went back to her father’s side, grabbing his hand again before the door opened.

“Is that little Anya?”

“Aunt Pepper!”

Pepper laughed, bending down so Anya could leap into her arms for a big hug. “I swear, I see you every couple months but you just keep growing!”

Anya, with her arms still around her aunt’s neck, giggled. “I grew one more inch!”

“Wow! You did? I’m so proud!” Pepper pulled away from Anya, pushing a loose strand behind her ear, “Well, little ballerina, Morgan is in her room…Think you can go up and say ‘hi’?”

Anya nodded excitingly, “Mhmm!”

Pepper stood up, releasing the five year old from her hands, “Okay, be careful on the stairs!”

Anya zoomed past and made it to the stairs, looking back at her aunt and father before carefully taking the stairs one at a time. _How disciplined_.

“Hi, Pepper,” Clint gave her a small hug, the glitter backpack still clenched in his hands.

“Hey, Clint. So glad you guys made it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

——

Anya made her way to the bedroom down the hall, knocking softly on the door, “Morgan?”

The door flung open to reveal five year old Morgan Stark, dressed up in a flowy yellow dress covered in little daisies. Her short hair was pulled back with a matching headband and she had on white sandals to go with the floral ensemble.

“Anya!” Morgan jumped into the redhead’s arms, “Come here! I _have_ to show you what I got!”

The two little ones went into the pink bedroom, where Morgan’s toys were all neatly tucked away. “Close your eyes!” Morgan said as she grabbed Anya’s hands and put them up to her face.

“Okay…” Anya wasn’t one for surprises. _Maybe that was hereditary._

She heard some shuffling around before Morgan shouted, “Open!”

Anya placed her hands by here side, opening her eyes to see a frilly pink tutu in her friend’s hands. “Mommy signed me up for ballet! I’m going to be just like you!”

Anya smiled, “Really?”

Morgan nodded, “Yep! I’m still doing tap. But now, I’m in ballet too!”

“I can help you with the first steps so you can know them before you go to your first class!”

A soft knock at the door caught their attention. “Hey, ballerinas, we don’t want to be late. You got an hour to eat and finish up your cards,” Pepper said.

Morgan ran to her bookshelf, grabbing her box of crayons and construction paper, “I’m ready!” She ran past her mother out of her bedroom.

“_Slow_ on the stairs, remember, Morgan?”

“Yes, mommy!” She took the stairs one by one, her tiny sandals clacking on the wood.

Anya didn’t move from her spot in the bedroom, instead her eyes stayed locked to a spot the ground. Pepper looked at her, she knew Anya was much quieter than Morgan, but something seemed off. “Honey, are you okay?”

The redhead shrugged, “Yeah.”

Pepper walked closer to her “niece” and knelt down in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

Anya chewed at her bottom lip, a trait she _definitely_ inherited from her mother. “I’m just nervous.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, sweetheart. It’s going to be so nice today. I _promise._” Anya nodded slowly, still looking down at the floor in front of her instead of at her aunt. “C’mon, I got a peanut butter sandwich with your name all over it.” Pepper held out her hand and Anya took it, smiling slightly, as they headed downstairs.

Clint was at the kitchen table, sitting across from Morgan who was excitingly telling him a story. “He did _what?”_

“Jackson pulled my hair! But I told the teacher on him and he couldn’t go to recess,” she told him, spreading out her colored paper and emptying her crayons. “Miranda said that he’s mean to me because he likes me, but I think that is dumb.”

Clint laughed, “It is dumb.”

“Is this the Jackson story, again?” Pepper asked, letting go of Anya’s hand and heading into the kitchen.

“Yes!”

Anya slowly walked over to her father, looking up at him with her big green eyes. Clint smiled, and bent down to give her a kiss, “You gonna make a card with Morgan?” Anya nodded, still hesitating. “Come here,” he picked her up and made his way over to the other side of the table, placing his daughter down in the chair next to the brunette. “What color card would you like to do?”

Anya thought for a second, “Red?”

“I’m doing red too!” Morgan shouted, holding up her paper.

Clint smiled, “Red’s a good color for them. Here, give me your paper and I’ll fold them.” The two girls obliged and he returned their sheets, ready for them to decorate.

The two sat and colored away, Morgan taking up most of the conversation while Anya sat quietly alongside her. Clint was throughly entertained, as was Pepper. After the loss of their spouses, an unlikely friendship formed between the two single parents. They both felt alone, overwhelmed, and broken after losing the love of their lives, and no one quite had a shared experience like the two of them.

Tony and Nat were much more similar than anyone would care to admit. They were both stubborn as hell, would risk their lives for a mission, and never heard the word ‘no’. Clint and Pepper had many similar qualities as well, as they were the more _domesticated_ ones in the relationship.

When their loves died, the two felt alone.

But, at Tony’s funeral, little Anya Romanoff-Barton gave Morgan H. Stark a hug, telling her that “her daddy was up in the sky and was watching over her, just like mama was.” And the rest was history.

The two girls became inseparable, ultimately making Clint and Pepper closer, too.

So, every three months, one of the pairs would make a trip to visit the other. It helped keep the adults from cooping up in their home and never leaving, which was really easy to want to do after you lost your spouse. It also helped keep the Avengers family together, even though most of them were split apart to do their own things.

However, almost all of the Avengers made time for the girls. Clint couldn’t speak for Pepper, but he had someone over almost every other week, checking up on him and playing with Anya.

Last week, Sam and Bucky were in town, an unlikely pair to want to visit a five year old. But they immediately transformed into goofy uncles, playing tag and making Anya laugh with their failed attempts to copy her gymnastic moves. Anya would whisper to Bucky in Russian when Sam wasn’t looking and he would flashback to seeing young Natasha, except Anya was free from the confines of the Red Room.

The visits helped keep Clint from falling back into his depression. The dusted were brought back, but his wife could never return. After he would tuck Anya in every night, he would lay in his bed and begin to cry, as it felt empty without Natasha. He needed help. As did Pepper.

So here they are, reconvening again, two single parents of two little ballerinas.

Today was not like the other visits, though. Today was a year after the dusted returned, and Thanos was destroyed. This also meant it was a year since the loss of Tony and Nat.

It was a particularly difficult time for Pepper and Clint, but when you’re a parent, you have to find a way to get through the sadness to take care of your child. Both parents already had to do the difficult task of telling their child that their mom/dad had died, which was not a one time thing when your child was young. 

Anya would ask about her mother all the time, and it pained Clint to think about her, as he always flashed back to her hand slipping from his and her lifeless body at the bottom of the cliff.

But, his therapist told him to think of her smile first. Think of her smiling on the porch bench, baby Anya in her arms. Think of her smiling when they finished their mission in Lagos and flopped on the bed, laughing about how quickly they completed their assignment. Think of her smiling on their flight in space; how mesmerized she was by the universe around her. _Think of that instead_. Don’t think about what happened when they landed. _No_, remember her hands entwined in his while they laid in the hospital bed, eyes never leaving their teeny newborn sleeping in the plastic basinet.

That’s the Natasha he has to remember.

So when Anya asks about “mama”, he tells her about the good times, and how much she loved her “маленький (little one)”. He tells her about her bear, the first stuffed animal Natasha picked out for her baby because it reminded her of Budapest, where she saw the same one in the window of the village shops. He tells her about the arrow necklace, which she had left in her locked jewelry box, something Bruce had miraculously rescued after their building was ambushed. It was too big on Anya, but she still wore it every day, never taking it off. 

And for Natasha, he enrolled their child in ballet and gymnastics, and kept up her Russian lessons. Anya enjoyed them, always telling her dance teachers and gymnastics instructors that she was going to be just like her “mama”.

Clint hoped so. Clint hoped _to god_ she would have her mother’s determination and heart. She already looked so much like her, _why would she need anything from him? _

“Papa, can you please check my card?”

Anya handed him the folded construction paper, the outside decorated with a “⧗”. Clint traced his fingers over the symbol, memories of its owner flooding back to him. He swallowed the lump in his throat, opening the card to reveal a stick figure drawing of Anya and her mother holding hands.

_Fuck_.

“It’s beautiful, sweetheart.”

Anya smiled, “Can you check my spelling?”

Clint chuckled, “Of course, baby.”

And there it was was, scribbled across the red paper: “Dear mama”.

_God_. 

It broke his heart. His eyes welled with tears, but he continued reading:

__ **Dear mama,  
** __ **I miss you!  
** __ **Papa does too.  
** __ **I wish I could see you, but papa says you’re in heaven.  
** __ **I hope you can see me from up there.  
** __ **I’m sending lots of hugs and kisses!  
** _ **Я люблю тебя (I love you),  
** _ __ **Anya**

Sure, her handwriting wasn’t the best, but she had been practicing writing this card for the past couple of months and Clint thought it was the best thing he had ever seen. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

Anya smiled as Clint handed her the card back, and she finally took a bite out of her sandwich.

“Mommy, is mine good?” Morgan asked.

There were tears rolling down Pepper’s cheeks as she held her daughter’s card, a _beautifully_ done Iron Man helmet on the outside with the inside containing another drawing (this one showed Morgan and Tony, each holding a cheeseburger), and a small note that ended with “I love you 3000!”

“It’s wonderful, sweetie. Daddy will love it,” Pepper said through her tears.

Clint checked his watch, “Uh, Pep, it’s 1:30, should we get going?”

“Shoot! C’mon girls! Anya, you can bring your sandwich in the car, Morgan, put the crayons away.”

The four of them made their way outside and into Pepper’s car, strapping each of their kids into a car seat. Clint offered to drive, and Pepper gladly took him up on it. 

The drive was lengthy, and the two adults were stuck with listening to Disney music on a loop. Morgan loudly sang her heart out, Pepper encouraging her fun, while Anya sat and listened, playing with her bear and checking her card over and over again. Clint _swore_ he could see her mumbling her Russian poem under her breath, but he stayed focused on the road.

When they got there, the music turned off and Morgan calmed down. 

Seeing the graveyard made Anya curl up into her carseat. She hadn’t been here before. When her mother had her funeral, she was at Morgan’s cabin, where they did Uncle Tony’s service too. It was a shared funeral, and her father spoke about her mom, calling her “Natasha”. Anya was sad, missing her mama, but everyone around her tried to make her feel better, telling stories of “the Black Widow” and how awesome she was.

Anya missed her a lot. Anya missed hugging her mama. She missed seeing her come home from a mission really late at night to sneak her a kiss goodnight. She missed helping mama make dinner. She missed family movie night. She missed their secret midnight snacks, usually sneaking chocolates into their mouths before heading back to bed. She missed doing ballet and gymnastics with her. She missed everything.

When Anya met Morgan, it helped a lot.

Morgan talked about how much she missed her dad, and it was very similar to how Anya felt. They bonded quickly, and even though they only saw each other every three months for the past year, the two were inseparable. Morgan asked her mom if she could FaceTime Anya, and Pepper would let her, hearing the two girls giggle through the phone.

The graveyard, as eerie as it may seem, was very pretty.

Clint parked the car nearest to the headstones they were looking for. They were close to each other, with no one in between, and a constant amount of flowers laying by their names. Fans would visit regularly, thanking the two for saving the dusted, but Clint and Pepper made sure their family would be the only visitors right now.

“You ready girls?”

They both looked scared, sad, and uneasy.

Pepper took off her seatbelt, turning back to face the girls, “Hey, there’s no need to be worried. Nothing scary is here, it’s just us. We’re going to talk to your daddy and your mom, read them your pretty cards, and then spend some time here with them. We will be with you the entire time, okay?”

Anya nodded, while Morgan answered, “Okay mommy. Let’s go.”

The adults got out of the car, unbuckled their daughters, and grabbed their hands.

Clint and Anya went to the right, while Pepper and Morgan went to the left.

Morgan ran right up to the headstone coated in Iron Man memorabilia, and sat crossed-legged in front of it. Pepper knelt down, before taking a seat on the grass next to her daughter, who immediately began talking and showing off her card.

Anya wasn’t as excited as Morgan; in fact she was extremely worried. But, Clint knelt down, gave her a big kiss on the cheek and touched her arrow pendant. “When mama got nervous, she would play with that arrow right there. It was a reminder that I was always there with her, even I wasn’t physically there. Now, it’s a symbol of both of us. Mama is always with you, including right now. Don’t be scared, baby, it’s just us, _your family_.”

Anya nodded and slowly walked over to the headstone decorated with flowers, cards, and small notes. It wasn’t _nearly_ as covered as Tony’s, but it definitely had more heartfelt notes written for the woman who gave her life for all of the dusted. She sat down, much like Morgan, and fiddled with her bear.

“Привет, мама (Hello, Mama).”

Clint sat down next to his little girl, turning to the headstone, “Hey, sweetheart.”

Anya looked at the headstone, “Natasha…”

“Remember, that’s mama’s name,” Clint said, resting a hand on his daughter’s back. “N-A-T-A-S-H-A.”

“I like it.”

“Me too,” he smiled back at her, giving her a small kiss on her head.

“I made you this, Mama. I drew us, and wrote you a little note. You can read it later though. Papa checked my spelling.” Clint let out a little laugh; Anya placed the homemade card on the headstone.

Anya turned to her father, “Can I talk to mama alone for a second?”

Clint nodded, “Of course, pigeon.” He stood up and walked back to the car, leaning against it as he watched his little one. He peeked a glance over at Pepper and Morgan, who were giggling and snuggling as they talked to Tony’s headstone.

Anya continued to play with the bear in her hands, unsure of what to say, before her eyes welled with tears and she said, “I miss you. I miss you a lot, mama. I don’t know why you had to go. Papa said you saved me, and Kate, and a lot of other people, but I want you back...Is that bad?”

Anya wiped a tear from her cheek, “I don’t know what heaven is like, but I hope you have a place to dance and do gymnastics. And there’s lots of chocolate.” 

She paused, “Mama, I remember the poem you would tell me before bed; Papa helped me. My Russian isn’t as good, but I’ll say it to you. I hope it helps you feel better up there, like how it helped me feel better before bed. Oh yeah! Here’s my bear too, you can hold him while I do it, okay, mama?”

She placed the bear gently on the headstone, next to the card, “Самолёт построим сами (We build an airplane), Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests), Понесёмся над лесами (We'll soar above the forests). А потом вернёмся к маме (And then we'll come back to mama).”

Anya placed a hand on the headstone, “I love you, mama. I hope I can see you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i’m an asshole, but who doesn’t love angst? also, pepper/clint is a friendship i love a lot, okay? plus, morgan and anya would be polar opposites, but they definitely would be best friends. let me know your thoughts about this heartbreaking chapter that i’ll probably go to hell for, along with your head canons about clint and pepper or morgan and anya (or even the other avengers visiting anya bc that's so cute tbh)


	6. wanda + anya, six years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requested on tumblr by anonymous
> 
> this takes place over two years after endgame, and the dusted are returned.

“And then, we need chocolate chips. You want to pour them?”

Anya nodded, excitedly, “Can I?”

“Mhmm, here,” she handed the redhead the measuring cup filled with the chocolate chips. Anya took them carefully, and then dumped them into the large red bowl.

“All done!”

Wanda bent down and gave Anya a kiss. The six year old was standing on a step stool in the kitchen, the two working on the counter top with ingredients all over the island. “You did so good,” Wanda said, smiling. “Okay so now, we flick this on, and watch it all go together.”

Anya went on her tiptoes, glancing into the mixer, her eyes wide and a smile on her face. “Will this be enough?”

Wanda chuckled, “It’ll be plenty, Yaya.”

The mixer kept going, the sounds of it blending soft under the bluetooth speaker playing 60’s classics. Wanda hummed to the beat as Anya sang along. _Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You_ by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons played; little Anya dancing and singing quietly. When it was ready, Wanda turned off the mixer, lifting the handle.

“Okay, now, we roll.” She handed Anya an ice cream scooper, “A little trick. Take this, scoop out the dough and plop it on the tray.”

Anya hesitated, “Okay...”

“Here, I’ll show you.” Wanda demonstrated, scooping the dough and placing it on the tray. “There. Now you.”

Anya followed Wanda’s movements and placed an identical ball on the tray. Her face lit up, “Wow!”

Wanda laughed, “Perfect. Now we do this until the bowl is empty.”

The two kept scooping away, the music blasting, and Anya’s little voice singing along. Anya loved to sing, but she hardly did it in front of anyone. She always did it around Wanda though, and the older girl grinned every time she heard the little voice coming from Anya.

After the trays were full, Wanda grabbed them and placed them in the oven, flicking on the timer. “Okay, Yaya, we wait 20 minutes. Come, let’s go get you changed.”

Anya took the brunette’s hand, and climbed down the step stool, heading for her bedroom. The redhead pushed open the door and went right to her closet.

“What do you want to wear today?” Wanda asked, taking a seat on the bed across from her “niece”.

“My purple dress! But I can’t find it,” she said, sifting through her closet.

Wanda lifted her hands, activating her powers, flicking through the hangers until she spotted the missing dress. It was a short sleeve, skater dress in the color lilac. It was casual, light, and perfect for today’s plans. Anya looked up, “You found it!” She tugged it down and walked over to Wanda, “Can you help me?”

“Of course,” she helped the little girl change out of her leggings and t-shirt all covered in flour. Wanda pulled the dress over her head, tucking it down. “There you go.”

Anya smiled big at her, her mouth full of missing teeth. Wanda placed a kiss on her nose, “Let’s do your hair, too.”

After ten minutes, Anya was in her lilac dress, two french braids in, and all cleaned up.

_RING RING!_

“Cookies are done! C’mon,” Wanda reached out her arms, picking up Anya to carry her to the kitchen. She placed her down on the stool and grabbed the trays out of the oven and into the fridge.

“Are they ready?”

“We have to let them cool first, okay?”

Anya nodded, “And _then_ they’re ready.”

“Are you excited for today?” Wanda asked, heading towards the speaker, turning it almost all of the way down.

“Yeah! Especially since we made the cookies.”

“It was a great idea, I’m glad you thought of it,” Wanda smiled. “You look very pretty in that dress.”

Anya blushed, her cheeks turning rosy, “It’s papa’s favorite color.”

“Ohhh, I see why you wanted to wear it, now,” Wanda replied, smirking at the six year old who giggled back.

“How long do we have to wait, Auntie?”

“Until they’re cool. It shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“They have to be done by 12. We need to be there at 12,” Anya reminded her aunt.

“We will. We still have 20 minutes. For now, let’s clean up, okay?”

Anya nodded and the two got to work, packing everything up and putting it back where they found it. Wanda sprayed the counter and wiped it clean, before heading to the sink and scrubbing their supplies. Anya threw out the dirty paper towels and folded up her stool, tucking it back into the closet.

Wanda glanced at the clock. _11:50._

She opened the fridge and took the cookies out, placing them one by one in the box on the counter. 24 cookies; that _should_ be enough.

When she finished, she tied the box shut and placed the envelope on top, fastening it to the outside. “Yaya? It’s all ready. Time to go.”

Anya ran towards Wanda, her white sandals now on her feet, “Okay! Come on!”

Wanda grabbed her hand and went towards the front door, sliding on her shoes and locking up behind her. They went to the elevator, Anya bouncing excitedly, and the reached the top floor. The two girls got out, walking down the hall to the glass door that led to the roof.

_11:59._

As they opened the door, a jet landed on the platform ahead of them, the wind blowing crazily around the two girls.

The engine shut off, and eventually two figures climbed on of the jet. A black haired teen was first, followed by older man with short hair.

The teen turned to Wanda and Anya, “Oh wow! Is that little bird?”

“KATE!” Anya shouted, running to meet her halfway for a hug.

“Hey, hey, hey, where my hug, pigeon?” Clint interrupted, coming from behind Kate.

Anya pulled back from Kate’s arms and her face beamed as she saw her father. Clint got down on his knees, extending his arms out as wide as he could. Anya ran into his chest, his arms enveloping her and he rocked her back and forth, kissing her all over her face.

“I missed you, little red.”

Anya wrapped her arms around his neck, “I missed you more, papa.”

He stood up, Anya still in his arms, handing his bag to Kate who rolled her eyes at him. “Hey Wanda.”

Wanda smiled, holding out the box of cookies towards him. The purple box still had the card stuck to the top, two little arrows on it. “Welcome home.”


	7. clint + anya, eighteen years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requested on tumblr by @squisim: “Ok, this one might be a bit tough. "Clint & 20 years old" Come on, do your worst. My heart is ready!!!!!!”
> 
> i know you said 20, but i changed it up a little!! hope this works!!

“How the hell does this thing stay on my head?” Anya fiddled with the graduation cap in her hands, trying once more to get the _stupid_ thing on her head. 

“Need some help, pigeon?”

“This thing won’t stay on my head. I just- _ugh_,” she gave up, slapping it into her father’s chest. “Please help me.”

Clint chuckled, “Have some patience, will ya?”

She rolled her eyes, “It’s stupid.” 

“Sit down. I can do it for you.” Anya sat on the bed and Clint grabbed the cap, fixing her short red hair before stretching the band to get it over her head. “Where are those bobby pins?”

“Here,” Anya held four pins up.

Clint grabbed them from her, fastening them to her hat and hair, securely attaching the hat to her head. “There. See if that did the trick.”

Anya stood up and shook her head, testing her father’s work. _It stayed._ “Thank _god_.”

Clint laughed at his daughter, now 18 years old. She had always had her mother’s looks, but Clint would be lying if he said she didn’t practically look _identical_ to her. Her red hair was freshly cut above her shoulders, curled as it had been her whole life, and her green eyes were the same since she had been a baby. 

He couldn’t believe she was an adult now. He remembered when she was just under a year old, waddling around this room when it was still a nursery, walking for the first time. He remembers Natasha sitting on the far wall, shaking Anya’s bear in front of her, trying to get their daughter to walk over to her as Clint hovered over their toddler to catch her if she fell. 

And now, the nursery was transformed into an adult’s room; the crib long gone and replaced with a full-sized bed, the toys replaced with instruments, posters now covered the walls. 

_She grew up. _

Clint was emotional, seeing his daughter in a black dress with a red cap and gown on, lacing up her black boots to wear across the stage today. She was his little girl; she always was. He was there for everything. Every parent teacher conference, every concert, every ballet recital, every gymnastics competition, there wasn’t anything he missed. 

He taught her archery; she was good. Kate would practice with her, and he sat back to watch the two shooting targets in the yard. She had her mother’s focus and determination. Anya did ballet, gymnastics, and played several instruments while getting all A’s through her entire academic career. _Did he really expect anything less?_

She was reserved like Natasha, and had some slight anxiety of his. But she was also feisty. She stood up for herself, and she didn’t take “no” for an answer. She was stubborn. 

She was both a tom boy, and a girly girl. She broke the stereotypes and didn’t care. Anya was her own person, she could do whatever she wanted. 

And she would now.

She was graduating high school today. She was free to do whatever she wanted in life now. She got accepted into 13 colleges, while also placing second in nationals for gymnastics, and won first place for her ballet solo. She had mastered the piano, guitar, violin and cello. 

Clint couldn’t be prouder; he didn’t know where she would go from here, but she was capable of anything, like her mother.

Anya was wearing the arrow necklace, as she had been every single day since he gave it to her when she was four. After losing Natasha when Anya was so young, Clint was scared to raise their daughter alone and that she wouldn’t remember her mother. But, he made it a mission to honor her, telling Anya stories about Natasha and keeping up her Russian lessons. Anya never forgot her mother. She knew she didn’t have many memories of her, but every single person told her stories about the redhead who she saw glimpses of in her dreams. 

She dedicated everything to her. She loved her father, but she obviously had a lot of her mother’s traits; everyone had confirmed that for her. So, before every event, she pressed the arrow pendant to her lips and said, _“это для тебя, мама (this is for you, mama).” _

And today would be no different. 

“Everyone’s downstairs. We should probably leave in a half hour, but you can take your time,” Clint said, still seated on the bed.

“Thanks dad.”

Clint stood up, “I’m so proud of you, never forget that.”

“I won’t,” she said, smiling at him. 

_God, she had her smile._

Anya walked over to him, and hugged him tightly. “I wish she was here.”

Clint’s heart felt like it broke a little, “Me too.”

They didn’t say much more. Anya released her father and nodded at him, trying to hold back any tears from rolling down her cheeks. “I’ll meet you down there.”

Clint smiled, “Of course.” And he left the room.

Anya took a deep breath, grabbed her necklace and kissed it gently as she always did. _“Я надеюсь, что вы смотрите. это тебе, мама. (I hope you are watching. This one is for you, mama.)”_


End file.
